Don Nicholson
Encyclopedia
Don Nicholson was an American drag racer
from Georgia
. He raced in the 1960s and '70s when there were few national events. The National Hot Rod Association
(NHRA) estimates that he won 90 percent of his match races. As of 2002, he held the record for the most number of categories in which he reached a final round (won or took second at an event): Funny Car
, Pro Stock
, Super, Competition Eliminator, Stock, and Street. He was nicknamed "Dyno Don" after he was one of the first drivers to use a chassis dynamometer
on his cars in the late 1950s, a skill that he learned while working as a line mechanic at a Chevrolet
car dealer.
on oval track
s in the late 1940s before moving to the dry lakes at the Bonneville
and El Mirage
. He was already an experienced driver when drag strips began opening in Southern California.
, so moved to Atlanta to compete in match races. Chevrolet and the other American car manufacturers decided to drop their factory backing in 1963 and his vehicle became uncompetitive. He switched to a Mercury Comet
for 1964 in the A/Factor Experimental (A/FX) division. He won over 90 percent of match races that he entered that year. That year he made the first 10 second pass in a doorslammer, as well as being the first driver to lift the front wheels when he shifted gears.
s" were not allowed in NHRA meets. Ford disallowed their Ford and Mercury teams to compete against these new Mopar Funny Cars. Nicholson was concerned about losing his match racing income since his car was outclassed. That August, he converted his car to a Funny Car. He added nitromethane
fuel and fuel injection
, and changed the car's wheelbase. Several weeks later he defeated the Ramcharger Dodge, the top Mopar entry, with a 9.30 second pass at 150 mph (241.4 km/h)}.
Mercury commissioned a new tube chassis Comet for 1966. The Logghe Bros.-built car featured a one piece flip-top body, the standard format today. Nicholson's car, dubbed "Eliminator I", was rarely defeated that season. It clocked the first 7 second e.t. in Funny Cars at Michigan in the second half of 1966. The only driver capable of defeating Eliminator I was Nicholson's teammate Eddie Schartman. Nicholson was so dominant, critics predicted the demise of the new Funny Car "craze" . Nicholson enjoyed another highly successful year in "Eliminator II" in 1967 until other teams started adding supercharger
s late in the year. As he competed in his 7.3 second e.t. Cougar in 1968, Nicholson was becoming concerned about engine fires caused by blower explosions.
, and Dick Landy. These Super Stock cars were a throwback to the A/FX cars these teams had run in the mid-1960s. The 2300 pounds (1,043.3 kg) four-speed
carburated
cars raced heads-up (instead of handicapped like the NHRA did).
Nicholson converted a Jerry Harvey 1966 A/FX Ford Mustang
into a Super Stock, and used the car to win Street at the 1969 Springnationals in the A/Modified Production class. The popularity of the 9 second heads up racers lead to NHRA forming the Pro Stock
category in 1970. Nicholson prepared at Ford Maverick
for the Winternationals in seven days, but he did not win. The car was dominant on the match racing circuit, winning 45 straight rounds at one point. Nicholson's Maverick earned Ford's first NHRA Pro Stock win at the 1971 Summernationals. He switched to a 351 Cleveland
powered Ford Pinto
for 1972. He started off the 1973 season by winning three consecutive national events at the American Hot Rod Association
(AHRA) Winternationals, NHRA Winternationals, and NHRA Gatornationals
. Nicholson finished second at the 1974 U.S. Nationals and 1976 Summernationals.
by 1400 points to win the championship.
, which he was still campaigning in 2001. He also made some appearances in a Pro Stock Truck in 1998 and 1999.
on January 24, 2006 in Southern California
at age 78.
of the California Hot Rod Reunion.
He has been inducted in several halls of fame. He was inducted in the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame, and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
in 1998.
Drag racing
Drag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
from Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. He raced in the 1960s and '70s when there were few national events. The National Hot Rod Association
National Hot Rod Association
The National Hot Rod Association is a drag racing governing body, which sets rules in drag racing and host events all over the United States and Canada...
(NHRA) estimates that he won 90 percent of his match races. As of 2002, he held the record for the most number of categories in which he reached a final round (won or took second at an event): Funny Car
Funny Car
Funny Car is a drag racing car class. In the United States, other "professional" classes are Top Fuel, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle. Funny cars have forward-mounted engines and carbon fiber automotive bodies over the chassis, giving them an appearance vaguely approximating manufacturers'...
, Pro Stock
Pro Stock
Pro Stock Drag Racing is a class of drag racing featuring 'Factory Hot-Rods'. The class can be known as "all motor," as the cars cannot use artificial induction such as turbocharging, supercharging, or nitrous oxide, and there are very strict rules governing the modifications allowed to the...
, Super, Competition Eliminator, Stock, and Street. He was nicknamed "Dyno Don" after he was one of the first drivers to use a chassis dynamometer
Dynamometer
A dynamometer or "dyno" for short, is a device for measuring force, moment of force , or power. For example, the power produced by an engine, motor or other rotating prime mover can be calculated by simultaneously measuring torque and rotational speed .A dynamometer can also be used to determine...
on his cars in the late 1950s, a skill that he learned while working as a line mechanic at a Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
car dealer.
Racing career
Nicholson began racing in jalopiesJalopy
A jalopy is a decrepit car, often old and in a barely functional state. A jalopy is not a well kept antique car, but a car which is mostly rundown or beaten up. As a slang term in American English, "Jalopy" was noted in 1924 but is now slightly passé...
on oval track
Oval track
Oval track racing, also known as oval racing, is a form of closed-circuit automobile racing that is contested on an oval-shaped track. An oval track differs from a road course in that the layout resembles an oval with turns in only one direction, almost universally left...
s in the late 1940s before moving to the dry lakes at the Bonneville
Bonneville Speedway
Bonneville Speedway is an area of the Bonneville Salt Flats near Wendover, Utah, that is marked out for motor sports. It is particularly noted as the venue for numerous land speed records....
and El Mirage
El Mirage Dry Lake
El Mirage Lake is a dry lake bed in the Mojave Desert of San Bernardino County, California. The lake is located about west-northwest of the town of Adelanto and north of Highway 18 in San Bernardino County....
. He was already an experienced driver when drag strips began opening in Southern California.
Drag racing
Nicholson became nationally known to drag racing fans when he won the Stock class at NHRA's first Winternationals in 1961 with a 12 second pass. The win helped his business in Southern California, and gave him access to factory developed Chevrolet vehicles and special racing parts. He repeated as the 1962 Winternationals winner. He received lucrative offers from promoters in the Southeastern United StatesSoutheastern United States
The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
, so moved to Atlanta to compete in match races. Chevrolet and the other American car manufacturers decided to drop their factory backing in 1963 and his vehicle became uncompetitive. He switched to a Mercury Comet
Mercury Comet
The Mercury Comet is an automobile produced by the Mercury division of the Ford Motor Company from 1960–1969 and 1971-1977 — variously as either a compact or an intermediate car.The Comet was based on the compact Ford Falcon and later the Ford Maverick...
for 1964 in the A/Factor Experimental (A/FX) division. He won over 90 percent of match races that he entered that year. That year he made the first 10 second pass in a doorslammer, as well as being the first driver to lift the front wheels when he shifted gears.
Funny Car
In 1965, Dodge and Plymouth teams moved their front and rear wheels forward, giving them greater traction. These new "Funny CarFunny Car
Funny Car is a drag racing car class. In the United States, other "professional" classes are Top Fuel, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle. Funny cars have forward-mounted engines and carbon fiber automotive bodies over the chassis, giving them an appearance vaguely approximating manufacturers'...
s" were not allowed in NHRA meets. Ford disallowed their Ford and Mercury teams to compete against these new Mopar Funny Cars. Nicholson was concerned about losing his match racing income since his car was outclassed. That August, he converted his car to a Funny Car. He added nitromethane
Nitromethane
Nitromethane is an organic compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest organic nitro compound. It is a slightly viscous, highly polar liquid commonly used as a solvent in a variety of industrial applications such as in extractions, as a reaction medium, and as a cleaning solvent...
fuel and fuel injection
Fuel injection
Fuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
, and changed the car's wheelbase. Several weeks later he defeated the Ramcharger Dodge, the top Mopar entry, with a 9.30 second pass at 150 mph (241.4 km/h)}.
Mercury commissioned a new tube chassis Comet for 1966. The Logghe Bros.-built car featured a one piece flip-top body, the standard format today. Nicholson's car, dubbed "Eliminator I", was rarely defeated that season. It clocked the first 7 second e.t. in Funny Cars at Michigan in the second half of 1966. The only driver capable of defeating Eliminator I was Nicholson's teammate Eddie Schartman. Nicholson was so dominant, critics predicted the demise of the new Funny Car "craze" . Nicholson enjoyed another highly successful year in "Eliminator II" in 1967 until other teams started adding supercharger
Supercharger
A supercharger is an air compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine.The greater mass flow-rate provides more oxygen to support combustion than would be available in a naturally aspirated engine, which allows more fuel to be burned and more work to be done per cycle,...
s late in the year. As he competed in his 7.3 second e.t. Cougar in 1968, Nicholson was becoming concerned about engine fires caused by blower explosions.
Super Stock/Pro Stock
After the season he started a match racing circuit with Sox & Martin, Bill JenkinsBill Jenkins (dragracer)
William Tyler "Grumpy" Jenkins is an engine builder and retired drag racer. Between 1965 and 1975 he won a total of thirteen NHRA drag races. Jenkins raced in the clutchless planetary gear transmission era. Most of these wins were won with a manually shifted four speed transmission...
, and Dick Landy. These Super Stock cars were a throwback to the A/FX cars these teams had run in the mid-1960s. The 2300 pounds (1,043.3 kg) four-speed
Transmission (mechanics)
A machine consists of a power source and a power transmission system, which provides controlled application of the power. Merriam-Webster defines transmission as: an assembly of parts including the speed-changing gears and the propeller shaft by which the power is transmitted from an engine to a...
carburated
Carburetor
A carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....
cars raced heads-up (instead of handicapped like the NHRA did).
"The Funny Cars had just gotten too out of hand," said Nicholson. "They no longer resembled what Detroit was trying to sell. Chrysler already had backed out of Funny Car racing in 1967 when they had Sox & Martin and Landy start their Super Stock clinics. We just wanted to get our original fans back."
Nicholson converted a Jerry Harvey 1966 A/FX Ford Mustang
Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the second generation North American Ford Falcon, a compact car. Introduced early on April 17, 1964, as a "1964½" model, the 1965 Mustang was the automaker's most successful launch since the Model A...
into a Super Stock, and used the car to win Street at the 1969 Springnationals in the A/Modified Production class. The popularity of the 9 second heads up racers lead to NHRA forming the Pro Stock
Pro Stock
Pro Stock Drag Racing is a class of drag racing featuring 'Factory Hot-Rods'. The class can be known as "all motor," as the cars cannot use artificial induction such as turbocharging, supercharging, or nitrous oxide, and there are very strict rules governing the modifications allowed to the...
category in 1970. Nicholson prepared at Ford Maverick
Ford Maverick (North America)
The Ford Maverick was a compact car manufactured from April 1969-1977 in the United States, Canada, Mexico and from 1973-1979 in Brazil — employing a rear wheel drive platform dating to the original 1960 Falcon...
for the Winternationals in seven days, but he did not win. The car was dominant on the match racing circuit, winning 45 straight rounds at one point. Nicholson's Maverick earned Ford's first NHRA Pro Stock win at the 1971 Summernationals. He switched to a 351 Cleveland
Ford 335 engine
The Ford 335 engine family were a group of small-block V8 engines built by the Ford Motor Company between 1970 and 1985. The significance of the Numerals '335' designated to this series of Small block Ford V8 engines is relatively unknown...
powered Ford Pinto
Ford Pinto
The Ford Pinto is a subcompact car produced by the Ford Motor Company for the model years 1971–1980. The car's name derives from the Pinto horse. Initially offered as a two-door sedan, Ford offered "Runabout" hatchback and wagon models the following year, competing in the U.S. market with the AMC...
for 1972. He started off the 1973 season by winning three consecutive national events at the American Hot Rod Association
American Hot Rod Association
American Hot Rod Association, also known as AHRA, and most recently AHRA Motorsports. In late 2008 Rod Saint restarted the AHRA and brought onboard Jim Tice, son of the late Jim Tice Sr., and Troy Moe, nephew of Orville Moe. 2010 was to be the beginning of a new era and season with the 'reunion...
(AHRA) Winternationals, NHRA Winternationals, and NHRA Gatornationals
Gatornationals
The Gatornationals is an annual National Hot Rod Association national drag racing event held each March at Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Florida. The event was held for the first time in 1970...
. Nicholson finished second at the 1974 U.S. Nationals and 1976 Summernationals.
1977 Pro Stock championship
Nicholson ran mainly regional match races most years. He decided to compete on the full set NHRA national events in 1977. He won the 1977 Gatornationals, Springnationals, and U.S. Nationals to win the 1977 Winston championship, but his most famous race of the season was one that he did not win. His chief rival was 1976 champion Larry Lombardo, who drove for Bill Jenkins. At that time season championships were decided by a combination of regional and national events. Nicholson attended a divisional event that Lombardo needed to win. "We qualified low on purpose so that we could race Larry early in eliminations," said Nicholson. "I beat him in the first round and kept him from earning a lot of points he otherwise would have earned." Lombardo ended up third in the season points, and Nicholson beat Bob GliddenBob Glidden
Bob Glidden is an American drag racer. He was retired from Pro Stock racing in 1997 and returned in 2010. Glidden retired as the driver with the most wins in National Hot Rod Association history at that time , and he is currently the third most successful drag racer in the history...
by 1400 points to win the championship.
Later career
Nicholson made another championship run in 1979, finishing third. He continued to race a Pro Stock Ford until 1980. Nicholson made a comeback in 1984 in an Oldsmobile. He returned in 1988 in the nostalgia tour in a version of 1962 Chevrolet Bel AirChevrolet Bel Air
The Chevrolet Bel Air is a full-size automobile that was produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors for the 1950–1975 model years. Hardtops in the Chevrolet Deluxe Styleline model range were designated with the Bel Air name from 1950–1952, but it was not a distinct series of its own until...
, which he was still campaigning in 2001. He also made some appearances in a Pro Stock Truck in 1998 and 1999.
Death
His health deteriorated over his last few years. He died from Alzheimer's diseaseAlzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
on January 24, 2006 in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
at age 78.
Awards
Nicholson was listed 18th on NHRA's Top 50 Drivers in 2001. Nicholson was awarded the Funny Car Driver of the Year in 1967. He received the Car Craft All-star Drag Racing Team Ollie Award in 1977. In 1997 he was honored as the Grand marshalGrand Marshal
Grand Marshal is a ceremonial, military, or political office of very high rank. The term has its origins with the word "Marshal" with the first usage of the term "Grand Marshal" as a ceremonial title for certain religious orders...
of the California Hot Rod Reunion.
He has been inducted in several halls of fame. He was inducted in the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame, and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is a Hall of Fame and museum for American motorsports legends. It was originally located in Novi, Michigan and it moved to the Detroit Science Center in 2009.-Museum:...
in 1998.